‘You know what this means, don’t you, Boysie? It means we have to take them all out of the ball game. And I can tell you now, mate, with me hand on me heart, that slag Mitchell is mine. All mine.’

Boysie nodded.

‘I think we’d better start making a few enquiries around the place. We have to find out their stamping ground. Then we can plan our attack.’

‘We’ll take them all out together, Boysie. It’ll be a regular blood bath. I ain’t having that cunt Pargolis mugging me off. Not him nor that prat Mitchell. I could kill someone now this minute, I’m so incensed.’

Daniel clenched his hands into large fists. The knuckles whitened with the pressure.

‘First things first, Danny Boy. I’ll get on the blower to Vince. That little ponce will grass us everything we need within the next few hours. Then we can plan properly.’

Danny stood up and lit himself a Dunhill cigarette. ‘I think we should call a few of the team leaders in. If Pargolis has been putting his boat around the place, I think we should know why we ain’t had it reported back to us. Maybe he’s bought himself a few little friends, eh ... Maybe he wants to come and live in our fucking house and all! I know, how about we just make out a will leaving everything to him? The ponce, the bloody Greek ponce! He wants what we’ve got, does he? He wants my life’s work? Well, let’s see how far he gets with no fucking legs!’

‘Calm down, Danny Boy, for Christ’s sake!’

‘Calm down, you say? Has that fucking Suzy eaten up the little bit of brain you had to start with, has she? Remember the old joke, Boysie. I do the thinking, and you don’t! Remember that, mate. I am the main man here, me, Daniel Cavanagh. I call the long shots and I am calling them all in this night. We’re gonna get tooled up and we’re gonna take that bastard and his cronies out, once and for all.’

‘Thanks a lot, Danny, thanks for telling me what a prick I am. I really needed that tonight.’

Daniel looked into the face so like his own, except softer, smoother, and felt ashamed.

‘I’m sorry, Boysie. Honest, mate. It was temper. I’m in a temper.’

Boysie laughed.

‘And I’m not, I suppose? I ain’t annoyed in the least, me, am I? I’m too thick to be annoyed, me ... You and Suzy should set up house together. It’s a shame to waste two houses between ya! Both of you seem to think that mugging me off is a great pastime.’

Daniel grabbed his brother’s shoulders and shook him gently. He looked into his eyes.